Today I am signing into law H.R. 11662, which establishes the Lowell National Historic Park.

The city of Lowell, Massachusetts, was founded in 1822 at a site on the Merrimack River about 30 miles north of Boston. Over the next 50 years the city rapidly expanded to become our Nation's first great industrial city and the center of the Northeast's textile industry.

This bill will permit the restoration and preservation of many of Lowell's historic structures through a cooperative arrangement with State and local governments. The Lowell National Historic Park will be administered by the National Park Service, while the Lowell Historic Preservation District, adjacent to the park, will remain under the jurisdiction of the city of Lowell.

The bill creates a Lowell Historic Preservation Commission to advise the city in its stewardship of the historic properties within this district. The Commission will comprise 15 members representing local, State, and Federal governments. It will be authorized to make low-interest loans and grants for the restoration and preservation of properties.

I want to thank Representative Paul Tsongas, Senator Edward Kennedy, and Senator Edward Brooke for their dedicated work on this legislation.

The enactment of this bill into law will preserve a portion of America's history for the perpetual enjoyment of our people.

Citation:Jimmy Carter: "Lowell National Historical Park Statement on Signing H.R. 11662 Into Law. ", June 5, 1978. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=30903.